SLO County redistricting faces legal challenge
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors gave final approval to a new district map, but the decision is now facing a legal challenge.
After hearing from dozens of residents during public comment, the board voted 3-2 to approve what's become known as the "Patten map."
The map was drafted by Arroyo Grande resident Richard Patten. It was officially selected as the chosen map during a board of supervisors meeting at the end of November.
The Patten proposal faced competition from the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, which drafted a map that kept district lines mostly how they are currently drawn. Hundreds of people have voiced their thoughts on both maps during public comment over several meetings.
Following the board's vote, a nonprofit called San Luis Obispo County Citizens for Good Government announced it will be filing a lawsuit aiming to overturn the board's approval of the map.
The group claims that the map is a violation of the Fair Maps Act and argue that it breaks up communities of interest and favors Republican representation.
The Patten Map splits the North Coast into three separate districts and groups most of San Luis Obispo together.
This map also divides Nipomo and Oceano into different boundaries.
